Lock for mail-boxes.



G. F. UTTBRBAOK.

LOOK FOR MAIL BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 24, 1912. 1,1 14,324, Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE NORRIS FEYERS CO.. PHOTO-UTHO-, WASHINGTON. D

C. F. UTTERBAGK.

LOOK FOR MAIL BOXES. APPLICATION mum DEC. 24, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

(NI/EH70]? ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

1 3 1 WIT NESSES 646$ Mum THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTDLITHJ. WASNINGYUN. D. C

CLAUDE F. UTTERBACK, OF MOORESVILIIE INDIANA.

LOOK FOR MAIL-BOXES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAUDE F. U'r'rnn- BACK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Mooresville, in the county of Morgan and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locks for Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to locks for mail boxes, my more particular purpose being to provide a device of this type having improved mechanism for safeguarding mail placed in the box, either by the owner of the box or by the postman, and having special provision for enabling the operator to save time, under proper conditions, otherwise wasted in looking and unlocking the box.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which like letters indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a perspective of my improved mail box complete, the movable parts being in the positions they normally occupy when the mail is in the box; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, the letter door being new open to facilitate the deposit of a letter within the box; Fig. 3 is a substantially vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 4 is a perspective showing various parts of the looking mechanism removed from the box and assembled; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective showing a part of the mechanism appearing in Fig. 4 as seen from a different angle; Fig. G is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 5 lookingin the direction of the arrow; and, Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectionthrough Fig. 2, looking to the right.

A casing 8 constitutes the body of the mail box and is provided with a swinging door 9 which I designate as the main door. This main door is mounted upon hinges 10 and is provided with a portion 11 integral with it and extending below the bottom of the casing 8 and bent backwardly as indicated at the bottom of Fig. 3. l/Vhen the main door 9 is swung open upon the hinges 10 as a center, the portion 11 lodges against the bottom of the box and serves as a brace for supporting the door and consequently as a limiting stop to prevent the door from swinging beyond a predetermined angular position. The casing is mounted upon a post 12 shown fragmentarily in Fig. 1. A

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 24, 1912.

Patented Oct. 27, 1914:-

Serial No. 738,446.

small door 13 is by aid of hinges l l mounted upon the main door 9 and is provided with a knob 15. This small door is normally closed as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3 and for this purpose is provided with tension springs 10. Because of its oilice, I designate the door 13 as a letter door. It is opened by simply swinging it downward as indicated by full lines in Fig. 3 and closed by swinging it upward.

lVithin the casing 8 is a mail holder 16 having substantially the form of a weight and cut away on one side so that one of its edges 17 (see Fig. 3) is considerably lower than its top. This arrangement is merely for facilitating the removal of letters or other mail which may be contained within the mail holder. A bracket 18 carried by the main door 9 supports the mail holder in position. The main door 9 is provided with a letter slot 1%) through which letters may be deposited into the casing 8 and into the mail holder 16.

h lounted upon the top of the casing 8 is a small bracket 20, and engaging the latter is a piece of wire 21 bent spirally around the bracket which thus serves as a journal. The wire 21 is provided with a portion 22 extending below the bracket. The piece of wire 21 is also provided with a portion 23 extending upwardly and forwardly and carrying a leaf 25 of sheetmetal. A. weight 24.- is also mounted upon the portion 23. The parts just mentioned are so arranged that when the main door is swung open the portion 22 of the wire 21 is moved angularly outward and upward so that the wire member is tilted, the weight 24 is rocked backwardly and the leaf 25 is raised. This leaf is observable from a distance and serves as a target for indicating the condition of the box. It ordinarily indicates that mail is in the box, for the reason that the box has been opened by the postman incidental to the deposit of mail. The weight 24 maintains the target in either of its two positions in which the target may placed.

Mounted upon the inner face of the door 9 is a lock-casing 25 which carries locking mechanism as hereinafter described. Secured rigidly to the lock casing and inclosed thereby are two sleeves 26, 27. Slidably mounted within the sleeve 26 and extending through the same is a bolt 28 which carries at its upper end a head 29 of substantially wedge shape. A keeper is shown at 30 and is provided with an opening 31 for receiving the head 29. The keeper is rigidly mounted within the upper end of the casing 8 and is further provided with a tongue 32 extending downwardly and so located that when the bolt 23 in its uppermost position, the head 29 by lodging against the tongue prevents the main door 9 from swinging open. A spiral spring 33 encircles the bolt 28 and engages the angular head 29 as well as the adjacent upper surface of the look casing 25. The tendency of the spring33 is to raise the bolt 29. The bolt 29 is further provided with a notch 34. Extending through the main door 9 and revoluble relatively to the same is a lock 35 which is located a little to the right of the bolt 23 and in proximity to the notch 34. A key 36 (see Fig. 4) adapted to be carried in the pocket is used by the postman. it is provided with a quarter twist 37 which measures the extent to which it can be inserted in or through the lock 35. The key is further provided with two tines 38 integral with it and severally adapted to enter the notch 34 so as to raise or lower the bolt 28 when the key is inserted into the lock 35 and turned by hand. The bolt 28 adjacent its lower end is cut away so as to leave a slot 39 bounded at its ends by two semicircular shoulders 40, 41. It is also provided with a slot 42 bounded at its ends by shoulders 43, 44. A bolt 45 is slidably mounted within the sleeve 27 through which it extends and is provided with a slot 46, this slot being bounded at its ends by shoulders 47, 48. The sliding bolts 28,45 are arranged as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5 and are movable vertically in relation to each other. The bolt 45 is partially cut away adjacent its upper end so as to leave a facet 49 parallel with the longitudinal axis of the bolt, and two other facets 50, 57 forming virtually continuations thereof but inclined relatively thereto. In other words, the bolt 45 is provided with a flat surface or facet 49 and is beveled above and below this facet as may be seen from Fig. 5. The bolt 45 carries a pin 52 extending radially into it as shown in Fig.

Located adjacent the bolt 45 and extending across the same is an arm 53 carried upon a shaft 54, the latter being provided with a handle 55 whereby it may be turned and the arm 53 accordingly rocked. Under suitable conditions hereinafter described, the handle may be turned by hand so as to raise or lower the bolt 28.

Mounted upon the inside of the main door 9 is a cleat 5 a which is provided with a notch 57 for receiving the arm 53 and hold ing the same when the outer or free end of this arm is raised into its uppermost position by turning the handle 55. The bolt 45 is provided adjacent its lower end with a pin 56. Located near the lower end of. the' bolt 45 is a short shaft 57 carrying a pair of fingers 58 extending from it in opposite directions, the shaft being further provided with a handle 59 whereby it may turn. The parts are so arranged that by turning the handle 59 in a contracloelrwise direction according to Figs. 2 and 4, the pin 56 is pressed downwardly by the adjacent finger 58 and the bolt is accordingly lowered. Encircling the shaft 54 is a spiral spring 54, which presses constantly against the arm 53 and thus subjects the latter to more or less friction tension.

The combination lock 60 which may be of any conventional type is provided with a knob 61 whereby it may be actuated and is further provided with legends (in this in stance running from Zero to 11) related to the combination of the lock. This combination is provided with a bolt 62 which when the lock is actuated is thrust outwardly or to the left according to Fig. 2, or is drawn in wardly as the case may be. When the bolt 62 is outward as indicated in Fig. 2, the handle 59 cannot be turned in a centraclockwise direction far enough to disturb thepin 56 and consequently the bolt 45 cannot at this time be drawn downwardly; The relation of the bolt 45 to the arm 53 is such thatwhen the parts shown in Fig. 5 occupy the relative positions indicated in this figure, and the bolt 45 is moved downwardly, the bevel facet 50, by its cam-like action, forces the arm 53 outwardly from the cleat 55 and thus disengages the arm from the notch 57. The downward movement of the bolt 45 also causes the pin 52 to engage the upper edge of the arm 53 and thus causes the arm in question to swing downward when disengaged from the notch 57.

The operation of my device is as follows :-I will suppose that the mail box is empty and that the various movable parts occupy the respective positions they would normally occupy when the box is empty. The main door 9 and the letter door 13 are closed and the leaf 25 or target occupies the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, the target in this position not being adapted to attract any special attention. The bolt 28 is in its uppermost position and is so held by the spring 33 that any person by turning the handle 55 in a contraclockwise direction according to Fig. 2 can lower the bolt 28 and open the maindoor 9. The arm 53 is not" now in the notch 57% and within reasonable limits is entirely free. The postman now comes along. Noticing the condition of the target he sees there is no occasion to open the box for the purpose of taking any mail therefrom because the position of the target indicates that no mail is in the box. If he has no mail to deposit in the box, he passes not produce his key but merely grasps the handle 55 and turns it contraclockwise. This causes the arm 53 to rock in the same direction that the handle 55 is turned and the bolt 28 is drawn downwardly so as to compress the spring 33 and move the head 29 below the lower ends of the tongue 32.. The main door is now swungopen, the mail deposited in the mail holder 16 and the door is closed. In opening the door, however, the postman has shifted the position of the target 25 and the target is therefore left in the position indicating that mail is in the box. The door being closed, the postman turns the latch 55 in a clockwise direction according to Figs. 2 and 4. The arm 53 is thus swung upwardly and lodged in the notch 57, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5. Thebox is now locked and cannot be opened except by the postman using his key or by the owner using the combination lock. Any unauthorized person is unable to unlock the box because when he grasps the handle 55 and attempts to turn it in a contraclockwise direction according to Fig. 9., the arm 53 is unable to move because it is lodged in the notch 57 and the person tampering with the box is unable to dislodge the arm. With the parts in this condition, the bolt 45 cannot be drawn downwardly for the reason that the handle 59 cannot be turned, in a contraclockwise direction according to Fig. 2, far enough for the purpose; the bolt 62 of the combination lock preventing the handle 59 from being turned a sufficient distance to affect the position of the bolt 45. The owner of the box at any subsequent time during the day or night comes to get the mail if any there be in the box. By glancing at the target he sees that the box contains mail deposited by the postman. The owner thereupon grasps the handle 61 and operates the combination lock 60 so as to withdraw the bolt 62 out of the path of the adjacent finger 58. The handle 59 is now grasped and turned in a contraclockwise direction according toFig. 2. This causes the bolt 45 to be withdrawn downwardly. The bevel facet 50 now engages the arm 53 and by cam-like action upon the same forces this arm laterally away from the cleat 56 and consequently out of the notch 57. The pin 52 carried by the bolt 45 engages the upper edge of the arm 53 and rocks this arm downwardly. This movement of the arm brings it into engagement with the shoulder 44 and thus pulls the bolt 28 downwardly, unlocking the main door which is now swung open by the owner. The mail being removed, the door of the box is closed. The opening of the door has shifted the position of the target above described and if the owner does not deposit in the box a letter to be taken up afterward by the postman, he moves the target by hand into such position as to indicate that the box is empty. If,

however, the owner places mail in the box at this time he does not disturb the position of the target but leaves the target in the position it assumed before the owner opened the box. If at any time the box is empty and the owner desires to post a letter, he may either open the letter door 13 and drop the letter through the slot 1.9, or else he may open the main door 9 (now unlocked) and deposit the letter inside. If he drops the letter through the slot 19 he shifts the position of the target to that which it would assume if he had opened the main door. If instead of dropping the letter through the slot he opens the main door to facilitate the deposit he leaves the target alone altogether, the opening of the door having automatically thrown the target into position to indicate afterward the presence of the mail he has deposited in the box.

.Vhen the postman comes along collecting mail, he notes from the condition of the target that a letter or other piece of mail has been deposited in the box by the owner, Such being the case, he knows that the box is locked. He thereupon produces his key and inserts it into the lock 35. By turning the key to the left he brings one of the tines 38 into the notch 34L and causes the bolt 28 to be drawn downwardly. This does not disturb the position of the bolt 45 nor that of the arm 53 but it nevertheless unlocks the box. The letter or other piece of mail being removed, the postman closes the main door. When the box is thus closed, it is left locked, thereby assuring to the owner that the mail thus removed from it is in the hands of the postman.

As may be seen from the foregoing description, the safety of any mail deposited in the box from any source is assured to the extent at least that the box traces the delivery of mail from the owner to the postman or vice versa.

l-laving thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is as follows 1. The combination of a bolt, manually operated mechanism for actuating said bolt, means for maintaining said manually operated mechanism in a predetermined relative position, a slidably mounted member, means carried by the same for throwing said manually operated mechanism into and out of action, a handle, connections from said handle to said slidably mounted member for enabling movements of said handle to shit the position of said slidably mounted member, and a combination lock for preventing movement of said handle.

2. A device of the character described comprising a casing, a door therefor, a keeper mounted upon said casing, a bolt carried by said door and movable relatively to said keeper, manually operated mechanism normally connected with the said bolt for actuating the same, a cleat carried by said door for temporarily locking said manually operated mechanism against movement, a second bolt provided With means for disengaging said manually operated mechanism from said cleat, and a lock for temporarily holding said second mentioned bolt against movement.

3. A device of the character described comprising a casing, a door therefor, a keeper mounted upon said casing, a bolt carried by said door and movable relatively to said keeper, a manually operated key for shifting said bolt lengthwise, When said bolt is otherwise free, manually operated mechan'ism independent of said key and normally connected With said bolt for actuating the same, a cleat carried by said door, for engaging said manually operated mechanism and temporarily lockingthe same against movement, a second bolt movable in the general direction ofits oWn length and provided With means for disengaging said manually operated mechanism from said cleat, and means controllable at the Will of-tlie operator for temporarily locking said second mentioned bolt against movement.

CLAUDE F. UTTERBACK. Witnesses JAMES M. BIsHoP, WILLIAM H. HENDERSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

